Silverstone has stepped up its bid to remain on the Formula 1 calendar, despite the fact that last year, amid growing losses, the circuit-owning British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) triggered a break clause in its contract.
As it stands, the last British grand prix will take place at historic Silverstone in 2019, but Formula 1 business journalist Christian Sylt reveals that the BRDC has launched a proposal for a restructured deal with Liberty Media: “The ticket sales would go to Liberty but we could provide all the management, all the organisation,” a senior member of the BRDC told the Mail on Sunday. In return, Liberty would pay us a reasonable amount to cover our overheads for the use of the track and job done. All logic says they are going to come to an agreement, but there is no great urgency for it as it’s a year before they set the (2020) calendar,” the source explained.
At the same time, Formula 1 is putting in place “an array of options” should Silverstone fail to conclude a deal to stay on the grand prix calendar beyond 2019. Earlier this month F1’s commercial managing director Sean Bratches hinted that the race could move away from Silverstone, its permanent home since 1987 and a regular F1 venue throughout the championship’s history.
F1 chief Chase Carey made clear Silverstone has to justify its place on the calendar from 2020, without specifying whether the alternatives he mooted were a different British GP location – such as the often-mooted London street race – or giving its calendar place to another country.
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